The Settlers Arms

St Albans
Tiny village on the upper reaches of the Hawkesbury River
Located 105 km north west of Sydney, St Albans is not so much a town as a fascinating historic relic on the banks of the Macdonald River, a branch of the Hawkesbury River.

It is a bit of an obstacle course to get to St Albans. The traveller leaves Sydney, passes through the outer suburb of Dural, continues for a seemingly endless distance along a ridge until they drop down to the banks of the Hawkesbury River at Wisemans Ferry, crosses the river by ferry, turns left and then proceeds again for an eternity over a less-than-wonderful road which winds along the river banks until finally reaching St Albans. The new M2 has meant that it is now 90 minutes drive from the city centre.

Europeans moved into the Macdonald River valley as early as 1789. They took up small acreages along the river bank. Consequently the village always remained small. By 1840 there were about 1000 people in the valley but this declined to such a point that by 1966 there were only 79 people left. This has increased in recent times as people have decided to leave the city and seek a rural life.

The village was opened up for settlement in 1842 largely because it had become an important stopping point for people wanting to ship their goods down the Hawkesbury River. St Albans was the limit of navigation on the Macdonald River and this attracted farmers who were transporting their goods.

Things to see:  

Settlers Arms
Located beside the river The Settlers Arms is a delightful pub offering good meals and accommodation. It dates from 1848 (although the pub claims its arrival in 1836) when it was constructed at a cattle drover's camp on the limit of navigation on the Macdonald River. The two-storey sandstone building has been largely unaltered and is full of genuine charm. It also happens to serve excellent meals.

	Tourist Information
	St Albans Tourist Information The Fickle Wombat Bulga Rd St Albans NSW 2755 Telephone: (02) 4568 2078 Facsimile: (02) 4568 2078
	Hotels
	The Settlers Arms Inn 1 Wharf St St Albans NSW 2775 Telephone: (02) 4568 2111
	Bed & Breakfast/Guesthouses
	Wellum's Lake Guest House Lot 1 Wellums Lake Settlers Rd St Albans NSW 2755 Telephone: (02) 4568 2027
	The Court House Guest House 19 Upper Macdonald Rd St Albans NSW 2755 Telephone: (02) 4568 2042 Facsimile: (02) 4568 2042 Rating: ****
	Restaurants
	The Fickle Wombat Bulga Rd St Albans NSW 2755 Telephone: (02) 4568 2078
	The Settlers Arms Inn 1 Wharf St St Albans NSW 2775 Telephone: (02) 4568 2111
	Wellum's Lake Guest House Lot 1 Wellums Lake Settlers Rd St Albans NSW 2755 Telephone: (02) 4568 2027